Step by Step instructions for DIY baby wipes and more

Maybe some people will find this helpful, I wish I would have had this kind of info a long time ago. Over the last 2 years (After baby #2) I really buckled down and started looking for ways to be more frugal and healthier alternatives for my family's lifestyle. Just thought I'd share. Feel free to share your own!

First: I have finally found a recipe for DIY baby wipes that I love. The secret is that I use Walgreen's Nice brand paper towels. These paper towels are firm, yet soft and large. Them hold up well and even DH mentioned how he likes them better than store bought wipes. So here ya go:

You need:

Good quality paper towels, any kind of oil, and any kind of baby wash. Some people add in essential oils, I just keep it simple.

Once you have assembled what you'll need, procede by rolling out paper towels. This is the best way that I have found, although there are other techniques, I like this the best. Practice and see which ways you like best.

Then, fold paper towels in half, accordion style. Don't rip the perforation, as that is what allows for the pop up effect in the container.

Once your stack is folded, cut in half like so:

Once you have folded, cut, and stacked your paper towels place them in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together approximately 1/2 c. Water, 1/2 tbsp oil (any oil will do), and 3 drops of any baby wash. Pour mixture over towels until saturated.

Finally, place wipes in a container.

And... you are done

This entire process takes just a couple of minutes and cost less than a penny per wipe. Plus they are sans harmful chemicals. You get to control what you put in there and save money.

Another cost effective idea is to use up DH/SO old cotton t-shirts cut into squares, keep them in a baby wipe solution and use those for pee diapers. Those can be washed in the wash machine and save money, plus they are more eco-friendly.

Something else that I will be doing as the due date inches closer, when I prep my meals I will just make a double batch and freeze it. Most things are good in the freezer for at least 3 months. Pizza, lasanga, chicken pot pie, soups etc all freeze nicely. Then once new LO arrives we don't have to worry about cooking dinner for at least a week or two and we won't be spending a ridiculous amount of money eating out.

So there ya go. There are a few other things I do but I don't want the post to get too long.

Comments (12)

I LOVE this!! Thank you for sharing! I don't have any helpful tips and am pretty lazy overall, but I would like to cloth diaper new LO and I would love to make my own wipes. We did the meal planning for our DS and will do that again for this one, but I would love to hear other tips from other mommies!

The top wipes are more concentrated, I just lift up some of the wipes and pour some in the middle and the bottom. Also, they don't have to be soaking wet. As they sit the paper towels will draw up the moisture. I have never had an issue with only parts of the wipes being moist. Some people put a lid on thier bowl and swish the solution around.

I have cloth wipes that I made when I was making diaper soakers (BTW, cloth wipes are the way to go if you are CDing. SO MUCH EASIER! It all just gets tossed into the wash. Simple.). I was looking for a good wipe "recipe." I'll have to give this a try. Thanks!

Bellamaman, do you remember what kind of soap you used? My DD has sensitive skin also so we usually use an organic or fragrance free soap. Sensitive skin can feel like walking on nails trying to avoid the rashes. Sorry that happened to your LO. We actually do part time cloth diaper with my LO to save money on the disposable diaps. We've always had to buy the sensitive ones for her so that got expensive really fast.

The warm water is a great idea. I've been meaning to pick up a water bottle just for that. Thanks for reminding me!

Honestly, you really don't need to use anything at all other than water to clean baby for the first six months. I made baby wipes by hemming squares of old towel backed with fleece. To use - simply pour water into them. I'm still using the same ones 14 months and about 300 washes each later! Around six months when baby starts eating food poop gets more exciting. We still don't add soap though, we just make a large batch of camomile tea (good for soothing skin) and add a few drops of lavender oil (mildly antiseptic and smells nicer than poop). It's so easy. When we go out we just take a handful of dry wipes and a little bottle of tea, though normally there's a tap where you can get water.. You don't need any lotions either, we just used fractionated coconut or I've oil for the first six months. Now we use a tiny bit of organic baby shampoo but still no soap at all. Babies are pretty clean and it's good to keep their skin as free from chemicals as possible.

In a rush...I just use warm water on a 100%cotton wash cloth. Bought a bunch of them at Wal-Mart. They come clean stain free from the wash every time. When I'm not in a rush I fill a bathroom sink with hot water. Then add a 1/4 cup of olive oil and 4 drops of tea tree oil. Stir it up then add the cloth wipes. Wring out the wipes then put them in a wipe warmer for later use. Oh for the more solid baby poops. We sprayed them off with the diaper sprayer connected to the toilet.